July 13, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Rising junior forward Chris Albright will not return to the University of Virginia this fall, and instead will enter Major League Soccer. The announcement was made Tuesday by Albright and UVa men's soccer head coach George Gelnovatch.

"We're probably losing this season's college soccer player of the year. I don't have any problem in saying that," Gelnovatch said. "But we're trying to do what's best for the individual player. This only creates an opportunity for the next Chris Albright to step in, whoever that may be."

Albright, a product of Philadelphia's William Penn Charter High School, led the Cavaliers in scoring last season with 20 goals, the fourth-highest single-season total in school history. He also led the team with 43 points, which tied three other former Cavaliers for the fifth-highest single-season total ever at UVa.

For his accomplishments as a sophomore, Albright was named first-team All-America by NCSAA, College Soccer Weekly and Soccer America. He was a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference after twice being named conference player of the week, and he was a finalist for the prestigious MAC award.

As a freshman in 1997, Albright earned Freshman All-America honors from Soccer America and Soccer News after netting 11 goals to go along with seven assists. He played in all 26 games for UVa as a first-year, primarily as a flank midfielder. Albright was a member of the 1997 ACC All-Tournament team and scored the game-winner against American in the NCAA quarterfinals.

"Chris did very well with the national team a couple of weeks ago in D.C.," Gelnovatch said. "He impressed a lot of people, including myself, and he proved that he can play on that level. The way his contract will be structured, he's going to make a lot of money playing soccer. If soccer doesn't work out, school will be paid for."

The Cavaliers enjoyed a 35-8-6 mark in Albright's two seasons and advanced to the 1997 NCAA Championship game after winning the ACC Tournament. Albright finished his career in the Orange and Blue with 31 goals (11th all-time at UVa) and 72 points (12th).

Albright becomes the fifth UVa player to enter the MLS via Project 40. He will also join the 18 fellow Cavalier products currently on MLS rosters.

"We've lost six guys early over the past six years," Gelnovatch said. "I treat every case on an individual basis. It's something (the coaches) discuss with the player and his family. It's not an overall policy of mine to say, 'Yes, leave school and go into professional soccer.'

"In the case of all the guys who have left, they're all doing well, playing for their respective teams and making process. They're all guaranteed their education if soccer doesn't work out and they're all getting better as soccer players."

With Albright's departure, the Cavaliers will return five of 11 starters and 12 of 18 from last season's national quarterfinalist team that finished with a 16-4-3 record. One of those returning starters will be UVa's other scheduled starter on the front line - sophomore Sheldon Barnes, who played injured throughout the majority of the 1998 season.

"The saving grace is that we recruited a top forward in Ryan Gibbs," Gelnovatch said. "It would have really left us in a tough spot if we had not gotten a top forward. But Ryan will still be just a freshman. The other forward (Barnes) is a sophomore who played injured last year, so there are still some questions there.

"We'll keep bringing in good classes and playing good soccer. The way Project 40 is set up makes it harder to win championships, but we're going to continue to display great young talent."

The Cavaliers will begin their march to a sixth national championship Aug. 27 and 28 with a pair of exhibition matches against Rutgers and Connecticut, respectively, in College Park, Md. UVa's regular season will open the following weekend with the Coca-Cola Classic at Kl÷ckner Stadium.